NEW YORK -- LaDainian Tomlinson's visit with the New York Jets is going to overtime.

The free-agent running back met with team officials at the Jets' training facility in Florham Park, N.J., on Friday and had dinner with coach Rex Ryan, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and others later that night.

Tomlinson was scheduled to fly back home to San Diego, but he changed his flight after arriving so late Thursday night. Because of that, the Jets extended their visit with him to include dinner Friday. There also were no late-night flights to the West Coast available Friday night.

The extra face time with Tomlinson could work in the Jets' favor as they try to persuade him to join the offense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rushing last season. The visit came one day after Tomlinson met with the Minnesota Vikings and left without a deal. He arrived in the New York area Thursday night.

Tomlinson, released by the San Diego Chargers last month, ranks eighth on the NFL's career rushing list with 12,490 yards. If he chooses to join the Jets, Tomlinson would serve as a backup to Shonn Greene, who emerged in his rookie season and made Thomas Jones expendable. Jones was released by the Jets last week, then signed with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week.

Tomlinson will turn 31 in June and is coming off the least productive season of his career, rushing for 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows. He scored 12 touchdowns, but his role was reduced in an offense that shifted its focus to Philip Rivers and the passing game.

Tomlinson still is regarded as an excellent route runner and superb pass catcher, two qualities that make him attractive to both the Jets and Vikings.

Tomlinson could be intrigued by the possibility of taking handoffs from Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, who's still mulling whether to return for a 20th NFL season. Meanwhile, the Jets have Mark Sanchez returning for a second season along with a solid offensive line that helped pave the way for the team to average a league-leading 172.2 rushing yards per game.

Whether he chooses the Jets or Vikings, Tomlinson wouldn't be the focal point of the offense, as he had been for so many years with the Chargers -- a role with which he has said he's OK.

The Chargers drafted Tomlinson with the fifth overall pick in 2001 out of TCU, and he immediately became a star as he helped San Diego become a perennial playoff contender. His 138 career touchdowns rushing rank second on the NFL career list, and his 153 total touchdowns rank third.

After a heavy workload and a few injuries made him less effective in recent seasons -- last season was the first in which he rushed for fewer than 1,000 yards -- Tomlinson's focus appears to be on winning a Super Bowl. That's something the Vikings and Jets might be able to offer because both were one win away from making it to the NFL's big game last season.

QBREES9

03-15-2010 09:09 PM

Re: Jets officials add Friday dinner with L.T., who stays overnight

They sign Tomlinson let Jones go. Um make ya think ??? hell what were they thinking.